Comments on: Anti-Vaxers In Australia http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527 Your Daily Fix of Neuroscience, Skepticism, and Critical Thinking Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:19:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: mrgnash http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527&cpage=1#comment-11802 mrgnash Fri, 08 May 2009 12:33:15 +0000 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527#comment-11802 I caught the follow-up episode, quite by accident while channel surfing. When the episode began, I started steeling myself for the credulity and nonsense that I was sure would follow, but imagine my surprise when the show actually took a pro-science, anti-quackery stance. The host even made the effort to call out the anti-vaccination wackjobs on their lack of evidence, and medical qualifications. Very impressive indeed, even though I came away from it all thinking "so the anti-vaccination hysteria has made it's way here, too." I caught the follow-up episode, quite by accident while channel surfing. When the episode began, I started steeling myself for the credulity and nonsense that I was sure would follow, but imagine my surprise when the show actually took a pro-science, anti-quackery stance. The host even made the effort to call out the anti-vaccination wackjobs on their lack of evidence, and medical qualifications. Very impressive indeed, even though I came away from it all thinking “so the anti-vaccination hysteria has made it’s way here, too.”

]]> By: pope111 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527&cpage=1#comment-11694 pope111 Mon, 04 May 2009 14:51:09 +0000 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527#comment-11694 Yup, i wqatched the original show and the follow up panel type show. It was really well done which was great as i suspected the worst. They had a Prof of Infectious diseases on as a panelsit and a GP who refuses to give vaccines. The GP did not really say much and when she did she made herself sound like a real wack job (which she undoubtedly is). The pro vax guy was really good. Splendid work all round. I find the issue of vaccines quite interesting as it seems like quite a few parents seem to feel they need to really evaluate the evidence themselves, and alot of them do not have the basic grasp of science needed to do this properly (without expert guidance). Perhaps Governments need to start Pro Vax advertising a bit more seriously as a public health measure. I would also be interested to hear from anyone who knows how many people rejected vaccines during the ealry days when Polio, Rubella, etc were major problems. Also if there were large groups rejecting vaccines back then what reasons were they giving, were they similar to todays toxicity "concerns" or something different? Yup, i wqatched the original show and the follow up panel type show.
It was really well done which was great as i suspected the worst. They had a Prof of Infectious diseases on as a panelsit and a GP who refuses to give vaccines. The GP did not really say much and when she did she made herself sound like a real wack job (which she undoubtedly is). The pro vax guy was really good.
Splendid work all round.

I find the issue of vaccines quite interesting as it seems like quite a few parents seem to feel they need to really evaluate the evidence themselves, and alot of them do not have the basic grasp of science needed to do this properly (without expert guidance). Perhaps Governments need to start Pro Vax advertising a bit more seriously as a public health measure.

I would also be interested to hear from anyone who knows how many people rejected vaccines during the ealry days when Polio, Rubella, etc were major problems. Also if there were large groups rejecting vaccines back then what reasons were they giving, were they similar to todays toxicity “concerns” or something different?

]]> By: cuervo http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527&cpage=1#comment-11649 cuervo Fri, 01 May 2009 22:58:47 +0000 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527#comment-11649 Aussies seem to have a certain cultural 'bullshit limiter' that would be nice to export to other countries. What other country would have come up with their superb matter of fact anti drink-drive campaign slogan - "If you drink and drive, you're a bloody idiot." Aussies seem to have a certain cultural ‘bullshit limiter’ that would be nice to export to other countries. What other country would have come up with their superb matter of fact anti drink-drive campaign slogan – “If you drink and drive, you’re a bloody idiot.”

]]> By: empiricalgod2 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527&cpage=1#comment-11634 empiricalgod2 Fri, 01 May 2009 03:10:54 +0000 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527#comment-11634 Glad you are pleased with the network Steve. Makes me a bit more prouder to be living in Australia. Glad you are pleased with the network Steve. Makes me a bit more prouder to be living in Australia.

]]> By: HHC http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527&cpage=1#comment-11616 HHC Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:01:58 +0000 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527#comment-11616 In other parts of the globe, South Africa will be attempting to eradicate rabies. Alexander McCall Smith promised he would make an appearance for this upcoming health issue in Africa. He was in Winnetka, IL last night. In other parts of the globe, South Africa will be attempting to eradicate rabies. Alexander McCall Smith promised he would make an appearance for this upcoming health issue in Africa. He was in Winnetka, IL last night.

]]> By: Andrew Bienert http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527&cpage=1#comment-11609 Andrew Bienert Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:21:28 +0000 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527#comment-11609 Very commendable of 7. Though I'm not holding my breath that there has been a seismic shift in attitudes at the commercial networks towards reporting facts unambiguously. This is a recent Australian High Court ruling against channel 7: http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/tvradio/2009/04/30/1240982322294.html One thing that puzzled me about the report (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-63XHXxTM4) however was that it seemed to imply that vaccination rates in Australia are falling. This was not backed up with any data. After a cursory glance at the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) statistics there does not appear to be any notable drop in "Standard Coverage" across Australia. (Maybe Steven or someone else can clarify this terminology). If anything it seems to have reached a ceiling level. This of course doesn't show where there may be some significant regional differences. see: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/patients/acir/statistics.jsp http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/patients/acir/files/vaccination-coverage-310309.pdf Very commendable of 7.
Though I’m not holding my breath that there has been a seismic shift in attitudes at the commercial networks towards reporting facts unambiguously.
This is a recent Australian High Court ruling against channel 7: http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/tvradio/2009/04/30/1240982322294.html

One thing that puzzled me about the report (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-63XHXxTM4) however was that it seemed to imply that vaccination rates in Australia are falling. This was not backed up with any data. After a cursory glance at the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) statistics there does not appear to be any notable drop in “Standard Coverage” across Australia. (Maybe Steven or someone else can clarify this terminology). If anything it seems to have reached a ceiling level. This of course doesn’t show where there may be some significant regional differences.

see:
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/patients/acir/statistics.jsp
http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/provider/patients/acir/files/vaccination-coverage-310309.pdf

]]> By: Eilonnwy http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527&cpage=1#comment-11600 Eilonnwy Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:58:37 +0000 http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=527#comment-11600 Did you see the episode last night on Law and Order SVU? They did a show that dealt with anti-vaccination. There representation of the whole thing was horrible, then again it is only TV. I'm not a fan of the show it was just on in the background as I was surfing the interwebs. Did you see the episode last night on Law and Order SVU? They did a show that dealt with anti-vaccination. There representation of the whole thing was horrible, then again it is only TV. I’m not a fan of the show it was just on in the background as I was surfing the interwebs.

]]>